Wheeled vehicle



March 26, 1946.

' 1.. B. NEIGHBOUR ETAL WHEELED VEHICLE Original Filed Nov. 4, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 1 March 26, 1946.

L. B. NEIGHBOUR ETAL WHEELED VEHICLE o'ri -inal F iled Nov. 4, 1940 sSheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS.

4 FIG. 7

March 26, 1946. L. B. NEIGHBOUR ETAL 2 v WHEELED VEHICLE Original FiledNov. 4,1940 :5 Sheets-Sheet s Patented Mar. 26, 1946 p WHEELED' VEHICLELeonardB. I Neighbour, Moline; and Frederickiyka Thomann, East Moline,111.; vassign orsstotDeere Accompany, Moline, 111.,a..corp.oration-.of"llli nois Original application lslovember 4,-1940,SeriazlJNo.

364,196. Divided; and this application 'June;.15;3 1942, Serial No.447,098

The: present invention; relates to two-Wheeled.

tractor-drawn implements, and more particularly to atractor-drawn manurespreader of the type comprising; a body supportedat: the; rear.

end on afpair of. laterally spacedwheels and: at the :front; end on.thetractordrawban This application is a division of ourv co-pendingapplicae tion, Serial No. 364,196, filedNovember 4; 1940, and issuedNovember 24, 1942 as Patent 'No. 2,302,879:-

Theeprincipal object of this invention-is to provide: an improvedtwo-wheeled manure spreader-s that is. exceedingly stiff and; rigidagainst .lateral' twisting: or weaving when; the spreader is unevenlyloadedor when it is driven over-rough: ground,.but. which is light in.weight andqeconomical to manufacture. In thefurtherance of this object,we have provided a transverse torque member fixedto the body adjacentthe rearend'thereof and a rigidly bracedhitoh-frame fixedto-the frontend of the body, which'cooperateto produce a vehicle structure of greatstrength and rigidity. Additional stiiiness is provided by a.transversely extending, curved sheet, or hood, fixed to the front end ofthe body adjacent the hitchr frame, which is also slotted and:notched;toserve as a locking, sector for certainzadjusting levers disposed.beneath the hood.

Aufurtherobject is to provide improved-means tori-rigidly bracing thesides of the body against spreading when heavily loaded.

Another feature of our. invention consists in.

mounting theaxle bearings in the ends of the transversetorque member,with thelive axle-extendingthrough vthe torque member whereby the axleis located .at the point of maximumstiffness and iszrelieved of bendingstresses.

These andother objects and advantages of the present invention. willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art after consideration of .the.followingdetailed description. of thexpreferred .embodiment: thereof,referencebeing hadto the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure lisa perspective view of a two-wheeled manure spreaderconstructed according to theprinciples of our invention Figure 2' isanenlarged detail view of one of the braces holding the sides of themanure box in place;

Figure 3.is.a sectional. view, taken along the line 3=-3in Figure.2;

Figure .4 is a topplanview of the under frame.

structur (supporting the manure box and spread:

ing; mechanism with: the floor. plate and apron removed;

Figure MS a verticalsection, taken throughthe manure boxand: frame;substantially as indicated by the line ;5 -5 in Figure -4 but showing;the floor plate and apron}.

Figure 1 6 is; a' rsectional View: taken: along. the

line 6-6 in Figure 5p Figure 7 is an enlarged transverse verticalsection thrOughJthe rear. axle and torque-member, taken substantiallyalongthe line ;l---! in Figure 4; and

Figure 8 -is a. section: taken! along-.; the line 8-8 iniFigure '7;

structure "I 1 front endsby a. hitch frame l4.

frame members l 2 I 3 r at: longitudinally spaced intervals, and'neartheirrear endst the framemembers are-connected by; a transverse torquemember I 6; which will hereinafter .be more .fully described. A-sheetmetal bed,v or flooring, 20:

rests upon andis fixed. to the. cross members] 5 and hasupwardlyturnedflanges 2| at the sides thereof which are fixed tothelongitudinal frame members [2, l3;

Theside wallsof gthe spreader body are indicated-bythe reference numeral22 and arepreferablymade 'of sheet metal which: isfixed: to

vertical anglemembers 23. The upper edge and curved front end of theside walls are reenforced by light angles 28; one flange .of which isfixed to the innersides of-the side-walls and the other flang ofwhichextends outwardly over the edge of .theaside walls. Th verticalmembers-23am fixed at their lower. ends to the longitudinal framemembers I2, I3, adjacent the ends of. the cross members l5, and areconnected :with their respective cross members by braces. 24.- The;

braces -24,consist of-plates which areadapted to be .bolted; at 25 i to:the atransversevertical. flanges of-the vertical angleymembers23,: andat to theztransverse vertical; flanges of the crossmeme hers-l5.- Theedges of-the plates are slotted at 21 to receivethe horizontalflanges oftheflongiand at the same time -eliminats ethe need-l for.. proj (actin-E; the'ends lot. the :transverse members bar of a tractor.

bar.

laterally outwardly beyond the side walls to secure a connection for thebrace.

' The sides of the body are tied together at the top by an angle ironmember 30 formed in the shape of an inverted U, the extremities 3|thereof projectingdown along the exterior of the side 1 walls and beingsecured thereto. The arch portion of the member 30 extends far enoughabove the side walls of the body to permit a heaped-up load of materialcarried by the body to pass thereunder. a

The material carried in the body is caused to v of laterally spacedendless chains '33 which are trained over sprocket wheels 35 and 36mounted on front and rear shafts 40 and II, respectively. The shafts 40,4] are journaled in suitable bearings (not shown) fixed to the undersides of the longitudinal frame members I2, I3. Transverse slats-44 ofangle iron are fixed to the chains 33 at intervals, and scrape along theflooring 20 to carry the material rearwardly to rotary beating anddistributing mechanism, indicated generally by the reference numeral 45,disposed at the rear of the spreader body. The conveyor is operated bymechanism that will be described in detail presently,

The front end of the body I is supported on the hitch frame I4 and-isrigidly braced thereby against twisting about the longitudinalaxis ofthe body. The hitch frame I4 consists of a pair of laterally spaced foreand aft extending angle members 50 which are fixedly secured to theunder sides of the longitudinal frame members 1 I2, I '3' at the frontends thereof. The membersll are connected together by a pair of fore andaft spaced, transversely extending beams 5| and 52 which are welded tothe midpoints and front ends, respectively, of the members 50.Preferably, the beam 5I is a box section beam tilted'forwardly slightly,as best shown in Figure 5, while beam 52 consists of a verticallydisposed flat plate or bar. A box section draft tongue 53 is welded tothe jmidpoint of beam 5I and is additionally secured 1 thereto by agusset plate 49. The'tongue extends forwardly and downwardly from beam5| through a notch 49' in the bottom edge of beam 52, to which it iswelded. The front end of the draft tongue 53 is provided with anysuitable coupling means 54 adapted for connection with the draw- Whenthe draft tongue is hitched to a tractor drawbar, a considerable portionof the weight of the spreader body and the load'carried thereby issupported on the draw- When the tongue 53 is disconnected from thetractor, it issupported on a swinging jack stand 55 which is pivotedtothe tongue at56. The hitch frame construction described above isexceedingly rigid and adds materially to the stiffness of the body forresisting twisting when one corner of the spreader is more heavilyloaded than the others. 1 V r The rear-end of the spreader is supportedon to flanges I0 .of sleeves II, 12. The sleeves II, I2 are preferablysecured to the axle'by keys I3, I4. With the construction described, theaxle B2 and the sleeves I I, 12 are driven in unison, both wheelsfurnishing driving power on straight-away travel, and, when a turn isbeing made, the power being furnished by the wheel traveling through ithe larger arc, the other wheel at such time. being permitted to idle byreason of the ratchet mechanism above described.

The load-carrying body is supported from the rearaxle by brackets 75 andI6 which are secured to the under sides of the longitudinal frame Thetransversely disposed torque member I5 embraces the rear axle 62 and ismade of heavy gauge sheet metal or boiler plate, preferably bent.

into the form of a U-shaped channel member having outwardly turnedflanges 84 which are.

riveted at 85 to the under side of the flooring 20.

' The laterally outer ends of the torque member a pair'of laterallyspaced traction drive wheels and ISI which also furnish the power fordriv-' ing the conveying and distributing mechanism.

The wheels, 6!), GI are mounted upon a rear'a'xle a 62 whichextends'transversely across the rear por- I6 are welded to the innersurfaces of the bearing support flanges I5, I6, thereby forming, ineffect,

a closed, hollow beam wherein the flooring 20 constitutes one side ofthe beam. The abovedescribed beam construction has great torsionalstrength and adds to the stiffness and rigidity of the spreader body.

The beating and distribution mechanism 45 consists of an upper beater86, a lower beater.

81, and a rotary widespread 83 to the rear thereof, the function of theheaters beingto break up the manure as it is fed thereto by the conveyor 32, and to distribute the manure to the widespread whichscattersit over the ground.

.The heaters 85 and 8'! are mounted on suitable shafts which arejournaled in bearings and BI fixed to the sides 22 of the body. Theheaters are driven through themedium'of 'a chain 93 having drivingengagement with a large sprocket 94 fixed to the flange 76 of the sleeveI2, and the chain 93 is trained over sprockets fixed to the ends of thebeater shafts.

The rotary widespread 38 is driven from the lower beater'8l by a chain95 which is trained,

around sprockets 98 and 9"! fixed to the left'hand ends of the beaterand drumshafts, respectively. Suitable means, not shown, is provided forinterrupting the drive from the sprocket $4 to the sprocket 92, therebystopping the operation of the beating and distributing mechanism. a

The conveyor 32 is propelled through. the

tained within a housing I09, which is journaled on the extended end ofthe shaft 4i outside of the body. The ratchet mechanism is shown anddescribed in the above mentioned co-pending application, to whichreference may be made for such details. It is sufficient for-presentpurposes to state that the ratchet mechanism advances the shaft 4I whenthe housing IE0 is rocked about the axis of the shaft.

means of a camming member I05, formed integrally with the flange I0 ofthe sleeve and;

This is accomplished by which rotates therewith as the spreader travelsforwardly, engaging a roller II journaled on a pin II3, carried on thehousing I63. The rate of speed of the conveyor is controlled bycontrolling the extent of rocking movement of the housing I03, asdescribed in said co-pending application. This is accomplished by meansof a hand operated lever I44, mounted on a transverse shaft I2I, whichis connected with the housing I06 through a lever arm I20 and link rodII'I.

Fixed to the side walls 22 of the load carrying body Ill adjacent thefront end thereof is a. downwardly and rearwardly inclined dash I34, thelower end of which terminates substantially at the front end of theflooring 20 (Figure but spaced above the latter to provide a transverseslot extending substantially between said side walls, through which theconveyor chain 33 and slats 44 can pass. The dash extends above the topof the side walls to allow the manure to be heaped up and therebyincrease the quantity of manure carried in each load. A reenforcingangle member I35 is fixed to the under side of the dash and extends downthe center thereof. A generally transversely disposed hood I36 of heavygauge sheet metal or boiler plate is fixed to the front ends of the sidewalls 22 upon the laterall extending flanges of the reenforcing angles28 and is bolted to the top edge of the hitch frame cross bar 52. Thehood I36 extends upwardly from the bar 52, curving rearwardly near itsupper end to correspond to the curvature of the sides, and is joined tothe underside of the inclined dash I34. A curved reenforcing plate I40is fixed to the longitudinal center portion of the curved hood, and boththe hood and plate have a pair of laterally spaced vertical slots MI andI42 formed therein to pass levers I43 and I44, respectively, which aremounted on transversely extending shafts I45 and I 2I. The shafts I45and I2I are disposed within the space enclosed by the inclined dash I34,hitch frame I 4, and curved hood I36, and are iournaled in brackets I38and I39 fixed to the member I35, and in bearing members I48 and I49fixed to the side walls 22 of the body. One side of slot MI is notchedat I46 to receive and lock the lever I43 in adjusted position, whileslot I42 is notched at M! to receive and lock the lever I 44 in adjustedposition. Preferably, the curve of the hood I36 and plate I40 is an areabout the axis of the shafts I2I, I 45, so that the notches of the slotsMI and I42 engage their respective levers I43, I44 at the same point inany position of adjustment. As stated previously, lever I44 controls therate of feed of the mechanism actuating the conveyor apron 32. Shaft I45likewise has an arm I 50 mounted on the outer end thereof which isconnected with an operating rod I5I having operating connection at itsrear end with the mechanism (not shown) for interrupting thetransmission of power from the axle 62 to the heaters 86, 81 andwidespread 83.

IA. manure spreader constructed in the manner described above is lightin weight and economical to manufacture, and at the same time has greatstrength and rigidity for resisting torsional forces tending to twistthe body about its longitudinal axis. This rigidity results from thecombination of the several structural elements, such as the hitch frameI4, curved hood I36,.and torque member I6, which go to make up thecomplete machine.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A vehicle body structure comprising a pair of laterally spaced,fore-and-aft extending beams, a plurality of cross members fixed to saidbeams, sheet metal flooring fixed to said beams and supported on saidcross members, a pair of apertured brackets fixed to said beams atopposite sides of the body and depending therefrom, a pair of coaxialbearings carried on said brackets, respectively, and extending throughapertures in the latter, a transverse wheel-supported axle journaled insaid bearings, and a channel-shaped sheet metal stiffening member fixedto the under side of said flooring to form with the latter a hollow beamembracing said axle and bearings and extending between said pair ofbrackets, said stiffening member being rigidly fixed at opposite ends tosaid bearing brackets, respectively.

2. In a vehicle body structure, a rigid floor, a pair of laterallyspaced depending plates fixed thereto and having coaxial openingstherein, a pair of bearing sleeves disposed within said openings andsupported by said plates, an axle journaled in said bearings, and achannel shaped sheet metal stiffening member fixed to said floor to formwith the latter a hollow beam embracing said axle and bearings andextending between said plates, the ends of said stiffening member beingfixed to said plates, respectively, around said bearing receivingopenings.

3. A vehicle body structure comprising a pair of laterally spaced,fore-and-aft extending beams, a plurality of cross members fixed to saidbeams, sheet metal flooring fixed to said beams and supported on saidcross members, a pair of laterale 1y spaced depending plates fixedthereto and having coaxial openings therein, a pair of bearing sleevesdisposed within said openings and supported by said plates, an axlejournaled in said bearings, and a channel shaped sheet metal stiffeningmember fixed to said floor to form with the latter a hollow beamembracing said axle and bearings and extending between said plates, theends of said stiffening member being welded along their edges to saidplates, respectively, around said bearing receiving openings.

4. A vehicle body structure comprising a pair of laterally spaced, foreand aft extending beams,

sheet metal flooring fixed to said beams, apair of bearing bracketsfixed to said beams atopposite sides of the body, a pair of coaxial.bearings carried on said brackets, respectively, a transverseWheel-supported axle joumaled in said bearings, and a channel-shapedsheet metal stiffening member fixed to said sheet metal floor ing toform with the latter a hollow beam embracing said axle and bearings andextending between said pair of brackets, said stifiening member beingrigidly fixed at opposite ends to said bearing brackets, respectively.

5. A vehicle body structure comprising apair of laterally spaced, foreand aft extending beams, sheet metal flooring fixed to said beams, apair of laterally spaced plates fixed to said beamsat opposite sides ofthe body and depending therefrom, a pair of coaxial bearings mounted onsaid plates, respectively, a transversewheel-supported axle journaled insaid bearings, and a channelshaped sheet metal stiffening member fixedto said sheet metal flooring to form with the latter a hollow beamembracing said axle and extending between said plates, the ends ofsaidstiifening member being welded along theiriedgesto said plates,respectively.

LEONARD B. NEIGHBOUR. FREDERICK A. 'I'HOMANN.

